Walmartians - Are Gone (2008)

The third full-length Walmartians transmission from 2008.

At Zero Hour kicks things off with a sort of late night spy feel. A related track recorded around the same time, Before Zero Hour, showed up later on Series 7.2.

Next up is the first Walmartians track with vocals (sort of), the Partridge Family tribute of sorts with Do (The Kincaid). If you know who Reuben Kincaid was on the show then you’ll understand the lyrics – “Get on the bus!”

Yuletide Transmissions is a Christmas song that’s somehow survived the annual “War on Christmas” which FOX News has been so diligently in reporting on for the last 100 years or so.

The first Walmartians transmission bebobebobe included a track called Kerpy Oom. It was named after a phrase Ian sang over the music for that song. In The Court of Kerpy Oom revisits whatever that was about and is a bit of jab at King Crimson. Nice bit of the Speak & Learn on this one.

If you know who Jim Carroll was then you’ll know why the next song is called Jim Carroll’s Clone Lives. If you don’t then your knowledge of early 1980s minor New Wave hits is sorely lacking.

Core Samples (Subterra IV) and Leaving the Center of the Earth (Subterra V) continue a series I started in the late 90s. This second trio of songs concludes with Inner Core Collapse (Subterra VI) on Queen Mother Space.

Starcycle Road Rash is an attempt to sound like oh I don’t know maybe The Warlocks or something. Starts out OK but sort of loses it midway.

Those of you who get Homeworld 420 thank you. A bit of live percussion on this one actually with the bells.

Walmartians (Kontakt Tertius) is obviously the third installment in the Walmartians (Kontakt…) series. This is one of my favorites.

Ocean Liner was almost titled H.M.S. Gedge as a tribute to the leader of The Wedding Present, one of my favorite bands. This turned out well I think.

The theme music It Was Funny To Me At The Time was done for the online cartoon strip created by Lee Brenner and Darin Brock. It hasn’t been updated in a while but you can visit the site here.

The epic Disko Kompression Ekcess closes things out. This mix of a slow disco beat and grinding industrial guitars turned out well I think. Nice fuzz bass and some field recordings made at the Silk Market in Beijing.

Recorded 2008 in Dallas, Texas. Cover image is from somewhere over Nevada while en route to Tokyo via Los Angeles. Secret alien base or not?